2 7 6 



BULLETIN 226. 



TABLE 18. 

 Total plant-food removed in one year by wheat and by apples. 



According to these estimates it requires, for crops of the size indicated, 

 about four times as much potash, and more nitrogen and phosphoric acid, 

 to grow the apples than is required to grow the wheat. In considering 

 these tables there are several points to keep in mind. The apple roots 

 go deeper into the ground and so have more soil from which to draw 

 their food supply. If the ground has some kind of a crop growing on 

 it, the leaves may be largely retained in the orchard. The amount of 

 plant-food used by the wood is not very well known, as it is difficult to 

 determine what an average growth is. But even the 300 bushels of apples, 

 without any leaves or wood growth, require more potash and nearly half 

 as much nitrogen as is required to produce the wheat and straw. 



Manure may be shipped in from the cities. A few of the more pro- 

 gressive growers have shipped in manure from Buffalo. This costs 

 about $28 per car, but if applied when needed it gives a very large 

 return. Some have feared to use it on account of the danger of getting 

 weed seed. There seems to be no trouble in subduing any weeds that 

 come with it when it is applied to the orchard. There may be some 

 danger of animal diseases being carried in the manure. A much larger 

 total of manure is secured from the many smaller cities and towns, but 

 this is usually not obtainable in very large quantities. 



Manure may be profitably secured by the feeding of cattle. A few 

 growers have fed cattle during the winter in order to secure manure. 

 This enables them to buy their fertilizer in the form of feed. The cattle 

 usually give a fair profit, The manure obtained, added to this, makes 



